Basic Biographical Details Name: | George Gunn | Designation: | | Born: | 1873 | Died: | 23 March 1950 | Bio Notes: | George Gunn was born at 18 Hopehill Road, Glasgow on 28 April 1873, the son of Daniel Urquhart Gunn, commercial clerk and accountant, and his wife Annie Wotherspoon Speirs. He was articled to James Ritchie of Glasgow in November 1886, studying at Glasgow School of Art under Francis H Newbery. After completing his apprenticeship in January 1891 he obtained a position as a junior draughtsman in the more up-to-date office of Stark & Rowntree, but just seven months later he moved to Penryn, Cornwall to work for the West of England Granite Company as architectural assistant, superintending the stone-cutting and masonry works there. He returned to Glasgow in January 1893, entering the tramways department of Glasgow Corporation as an assistant, and a year later moved to Ayr to work for James Archibald Morris and James Kennedy Hunter, who at that time also had a London office. Gunn passed the qualifying exam in November 1894 in Glasgow and was admitted ARIBA on 11 March 1895, his proposers being Morris, William Forrest Salmon and Thomas Lennox Watson.
Although architects who had passed the qualifying exam were rare in Scotland at the time, Gunn was content to work first as an assistant to Alexander Cullen in Motherwell and then as principal assistant to John Campbell McKellar with a view to a partnership, supervising the more junior assistant William Stephen Gibson in both practices. The McKellar practice was almost exclusively tenement work but was immensely prosperous until 1907 when the business began to decline. A partnership did not materialize until c.1911 or 1912 when the firm became McKellar, Davis & Gunn. Davis's role is unclear and his background has so far proved untraceable. He appears to have withdrawn or died in 1914 as thereafter the practice was known as McKellar & Gunn, Gunn having briefly worked in partnership with Frederick V Burke, the surviving partner of William Tennant & Fred V Burke, the previous year; the latter had not lasted either as Burke had a serious drink problem.
The practice of McKellar & Gunn continued until the later 1920s when Gunn took rooms of his own in Burnet's new building for the North British & Mercantile Company at 200 St Vincent Street, Glasgow.
Gunn died at 7 Park Circus Place, Glasgow on 23 March 1950. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 54, Maxwell Road, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | 1886 * | | | | 7, Westbank Quadrant, Hillhead, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | Before 1887 | After 1895 | | | 158, Hill Street, Garnethill, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | Before 1899 | After 1909 | | | 103, Bath Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1900 * | | | | Gresham Chambers/45, West Nile Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | Before 1902 | Late 1920s | | | 9, Windsor Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | Before 1914 | 1950 | | | 95, Bath Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1919 * | | | | 200, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | Before 1929 | After 1939 | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployers
RIBARIBA ProposersRIBA ProposalsThis proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date proposed | Notes | | John Ballantine | 20 March 1911 | for Licentiateship | | William Brown | 20 March 1911 | for Licentiateship | | William Stephen Gibson | 20 July 1911 | for Licentiateship |
Buildings and Designs
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | British Architectural Library, RIBA | 2001 | Directory of British Architects 1834-1914 | | | | | Post Office Directories | | | | | | | Who's Who in Architecture | 1914 | | | | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Architect and Building News | 31 March 1950 | | | p330 - obituary |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | Professor David M Walker personal archive | Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material | | Personal information from Alfred G Lochhead; additional research by Iain Paterson | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | A v12 p146 (microfiche 57/G3) |
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